Need Coral Recommendation Please

[zmazza]

Hey guys,

I've got a 29 gallon reef tank... an MJ 1200 powerhead and a MJ1000 power head for flow. I also have a CSS 65 skimmer and about 80 lbs of live rock.

I just read about how toxic zoanthids could be, so I'm wanting to replace them with a "nicer" and "less toxic" coral. I have a newborn on the way and I would hate to cause any pain or sickness due to toxin on my skin from working on my reef tank.

I use tap water, but the zoanthids have been growing and propagating. I think the tap water is full of calcium.

I currently have an AH Supply 1x55 watt bright kit about 6" off the water. It's a 50/50 10k actintic bulb.

I'm looking for a good, somewhat colorful coral that's easy to keep and grow. Do any of you have any good recommendations?

Thanks.

[lvreefer]

Xenia, but some people consider this to hardy of a coral. It can spread and take over a tank, but it will work. Shrooms are also a good choice. Are you sure you have the zoa's that are "toxic"?

[zmazza]

I doubt it, but just to be on the safe side, I'm going to say so. How do you know the difference? I've gotten these out and handled them. They've definitely "goo'd" up. No significant harm. The first time I think it was a placebo effect, lol. I've got two different kinds... a button polyp type with a long stem, and the others are much shorter. I think I've got dragon eyes and some radioactive something or another.

[zmazza]

Sorry for double post...

So xenias ... like the pumping xenia? I love those.

I may have to pick up some xenia and some mushrooms. You said those would work with that amount of light?

[Matt Rise]

80lbs of live rock in a 29? Wow!

[zmazza]

It's packed! I wouldn't have it any other way though. It's an enormous amount of rock. I'd add more if I could. I'd like to get a scale to accurately weigh all of it. Maybe one day.

[zmazza]

Click on my red house to see my build thread. I just completed it. That's all the rock. It's spread out all over the tank though and not stacked.

[Salamander]

Not a whole lot you can do with 55w. Shrooms for sure, xenia may be ok. I wouldn't wory too much about the zoas. It pretty overrated as to how toxic they are. Just wash your hands if you mess with them (like you should anyways) and don't eat them.

[zmazza]

I'm thinking about getting another 55 watt kit, or if I can find something decent, a t5 retrofit kit.

Zoanthids are really low light corals, right? So they should work perfectly fine in my setup?

If so, I think I may get some more of them and some mushrooms. The zoanthids are my favorites after all.

Are there certain kinds that are more dangerous than others? And how do you tell a difference?

[reefworm]

I had great success in my 29 with euphylia anchora [hammer or anchor coral] under 55w pc's. It was a real center piece in the tank - growing with a vibrant lime green color. I definitely plan on another one.

As mentioned, shrooms are good, as are the xenia and green star polyps, although they can take over if you don't stay on them. Actually, what I did was to allow them to grow over onto separate pieces of rock, and then traded them at the LFS for stuff, or traded frags.

However, I'm concerned, too, about that much rock in a 29. I kind of overdid it myself, building a wall that extended up the entire back of the tank. Looked great, but circulation became an issue, even with multiple ph's and a wavemaker. I was asking for red slime, and got it. Got it under control fairly quickly, but I feel like I dodged a bullet. Just keep an eye on things, especially in areas the current doesn't reach or doesn't flow strongly.

Keep us posted, and good luck!

[zmazza]

Seems to be the perfect amount. The only time I had problem with brown and hair algae was when I had 192 watts of 6700k bulbs on it.

Thanks for the coral recommendation. I'll have to check them out.

[650-IS350]

Palythoas are more toxic than zoanthus.... Just make sure if you are working in your tank to wash your hands.. but if you are fragging them make sure you have saftey glasses, gloves and not touch any sensing organs IE' eyes, mouth nose. etc....

READ THIS

http://www.reefs.org/library/aquariu...98/0198_1.html

[barjam]

I have xenia in my display tank (75 gallon 216 T5 lighting) and in my QT tank it is growing quite a bit faster in the QT under 2 x 26 watt 6500k CF lights. No idea why.

[zmazza]

Any specific kind of xenia, barjam?

delsol650 - Is there a way to tell the different species apart?

[650-IS350]

Go to ZoaId.com they have links there...

To me, most palys have a green slit for a mouth and are USUALLY quite larger than zoo's who average in size of larger the a pencil eraser... some of my paly's grow to larger than a quarter in diameter and DOES eat pellets, brine shrimp etc....
zoanthids get food photosythetically same as palys but palys you can feed more... I try to feed my zoo's phytoplankton though.

[zmazza]

I do have some bigger ones.... they have a "stalk" if you will. Not as big as a quarter I don't think. They are reddish pink in color. I can't see a mouth. I may try and get a picture of them.

I do have some smaller green ones that are the size of a pencil eraser, though.